Hutchinson Leader - Story - Comments

Found this on their Web

Eric Kraushar — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 22:03:05 -0600

Found this on their Web site:
Individual game tickets are available through the youth hockey association hosting each game. Individual game ticket prices are:
Adults $10
Children/Seniors $5

Not sure if this is current. I also forgot to mention that there is a workout with kids beforehand. Not sure who is invited to this.

How much are tickets?

BirdFluPandemic — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:54:52 -0600

How much are tickets?

Let's get real people. A

bosoxguy — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:20:15 -0600

Let's get real people. A small party with cake and refreshments isn't going to bankrupt the city. We don't stop being gracious and respectful just because the economy tanked.

Well stated and correct as

hutchfan13.5 — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 09:37:26 -0600

Well stated and correct as usual, King BirdFluPandemic!

I have to agree with the

JaneDoe_22 — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 09:35:02 -0600

I have to agree with the ideas relating as to what "government" should or should not provide. However, the problem with our fair city is that our city fathers have succumbed to the demands of a few so-called city leaders in their list of "wants." Case in point, several years ago the voters in this city were given the opportunity to vote for building a second ice arena and a city event center. This vote overwhelmingly turned down those ideas, but guess what, we have now both!!! Our city fathers went around the wishes of the voters and the event center was bought through a purchase of the Plaza 15 Shopping Mall that the hospital made and became part of their campus. So, we now have an event center. Is this a self-supporting venture, or do the taxpayers help fund this? And, how about the second ice arena - this also was voted down. However, the city bypassed the voters, and the Hockey Assn. collected "pledges" to build it. They built it, but the "pledges" never panned out, and now the city has been subsidizing the operation of not only one ice arena, but now two. Just how much of the city's budget is being poured into this venture? And, now we have spent how many dollars building an underground bicycle path under Highway 7? Just think how far those dollars would help in this present budget crunch!! You see, the problem with Hutchinson is that the "wannas" have come home to roost, and want a lot of amenities that Hutchinson taxpayers just cannot afford. Look how many businesses have closed downtown, and how many more are just tethering on the edge of closing; and, how many families are losing their homes because of a loss of a job and/or foreclosure. I think our city leaders need to re-think their budgets, and look at a more conservative way to run our the city and just keep the basic "needs" in mind.

Not to worry about the

hutchfan13.5 — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 09:34:45 -0600

Not to worry about the money, people. It will work out. Although he wasn't able to save the outdoor ice, I understand Mr. Moon and his people had enough cash in the coin purse to hire several college temps over the holidays. Among other tasks, they were scraping and refinishing benches and tables so they'll look ship-shape this spring. Sure, some city departments are talking about full-time position cuts but the Moonraker was able to scrape up some dough for the holiday temps. So why wasn't he able to find $200 to make some ice? I don't know, I've heard he's more of a baseball guy.

TM Cut the wealthy off,(your

Dr.Remulak — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 08:54:10 -0600

Cut the wealthy off,(your only intelligent comment). Raise benefits to 2009 dollars for the rest and about responsible personal savings, who has any money these days to tuck away? Cut off the SS payments and watch thousands of people become homeless, hungry, sick and criminals. Can you say Republikin' bootlicker rich guy post???? Let the poor eat the rich!

The initial question posed,

darwinball — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 05:41:12 -0600

The initial question posed, "why do we tax ourselves to pay for our government and public schools?" is one that I thought all citizens knew about. Here's my take: we make collective decisions through our elected officials and other public input to provide services that we desire or that are mandated (uniform system of public education); we devise a system to pay for those things that we desire. Most of these things are difficult or impossible for individuals to provide themselves. It is a necessity for our modern lifestyle that we maintain a transportation infrastructure, health care system, energy grid, court system, fire department, law enforcement, etc. I have never understood why liquor is a socialized enterprise around these parts, but it seems to be some sort of Minnesota tradition.

Anyway, I strongly favor taxation as a way to fund our collective needs and wants. I am proud to be a tax-paying American citizen and to have a say in how our money is spent. The taxation system could certainly be simplified and structured more so that it's based on ability to pay, but it's by far the best way to fund our public needs.

Birdflu...I was tempted to

fiscallyconservative — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 01:48:51 -0600

Birdflu...I was tempted to make that comment but I knew you'd take care of it for us. My thoughts exactly--thanks!!! Oh, btw...in the past few weeks, I've been through at least five (much) smaller towns in the area and it sure is fun to watch their local kids playing on their ice rinks. I would have thought that if Forest City could afford it, Hutch might?

Guess not...maybe we can borrow some money from them? ;) If we can't figure out how to fund a simple outdoor rink, I wonder if we have a chance of getting our school issues resolved. Where are the "good ole days" where people took turns plowing and sweeping the local rink--and the city thanked them for doing this?

Guess those are the "good ole (gone) days"???? :(

Maybe we can figure out a way to bus our kids to Forest City so they can skate outside? Of course, we'd need to have a tax increase to do this, and... we'd probably need to build an addition for our liquor store to pay for the busing. (double-wink)

a water park? We can't

BirdFluPandemic — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:29:52 -0600

a water park?
We can't afford to freeze a rink-sized area of water the way it is... give me a break.

Oh yeah, I just wanted to

fiscallyconservative — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:00:54 -0600

Oh yeah, I just wanted to remind everyone that we are not living (yet) in socialistic America. It takes a few years to formally move us down that path... Oh yes, when we get there, it will be extremely hard to turn around! I always thought if the government owned our houses, our cars, our guns, our investments, and our health care, that we would be (almost) a socialistic and no longer a capitalistic society. Think about what we have recently done and will be doing in the next year and reflect on how many of "those things" are going to be run by our government. Is this scary or what?

Government should...

* Build interstate highways
* Defend our country
* Protect our borders
* Build a national power grid (I like this idea a lot!!!)
* In general...do things that entrepreneurs can't or do not want to do...as long as it is something that the public REALLY needs or something in which the public feels will make their city a better place--like parks.

Government should NOT...

* Run liquor stores (last I checked, entrepreneurs like to make money at this)
* Use taxpayer dollars to run businesses (globally)
* Think that they can run a business better than those that compete capitalistically
* Think that they need to run businesses to subsidize larger operations and governmental growth beyond direct taxpayer income
* Build a public event center that takes business away from other local businesses UNLESS nobody wishes to do this.
* Convince its citizens that it is running a non-governmental operation so that its local tax requirements are lower
* Mandate sick time policies for business owners...this is going to kill us
* Sell health care (last I checked, private businesses are doing this)
* Tell employers how to run their businesses (see my last two items)
* Think that they know how to control the financial health of our country--bailouts.....hahahahaaha. Oh yes, I forget how well they use the funds for governmental things. ;)

Ok, I've stepped down from my soapbox now. I just had this flash of socialism again and needed to "vent". Thanks for letting me do this! Good night everyone!

David, I like your thinking.

fiscallyconservative — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:38:52 -0600

David, I like your thinking. Congrats to your creative "thinking outside of the box". I wish we had more creative elected officials that think this way. As you stated, we need to be very careful that government doesn't do things that the private sector wants to do (like a liquor store) as this is a VERY slippery slope. However, your overall concept of coming up with other creative ways to fund the schools is a fun and intriguing topic to explore. Thanks for trying to do a good thing!

Chief, I don't think the

BirdFluPandemic — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:28:07 -0600

Chief,
I don't think the health of the person has anything to do with other people feeling that belts should be tightened. I also don't believe that a fifty dollar bash will hurt anyone. I hope Kay gets better soon.

I did not ask for, nor think

Chief2 — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:39:56 -0600

I did not ask for, nor think that I deserve a reception. Council woman Peterson has given 19 years to the citizens of Hutchinson. She deserves to be thanked for her service and I will personally make sure that no tax money is spent for this event.

For those "few" that are making a big deal about this you should know, Kay has fallen ill again so this event will probably be cancelled.

Businesses don't run on

jb2007 — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 02:19:10 -0600

Businesses don't run on public money.

I think the point these folks are trying to make is that having a reception and grandly seeing off these members doesn't really portray the image of an organization serious about tightening its belt.